Top 10 Local Singles of 2014

When Future Islands performed 'Seasons (Waiting on You),' the lead single and profile-raiser from their new album "Singles," on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on March 3, lead singer Sam Herring did his chest-thumping gorilla dance and sang sadly "I've been waiting on you" over Gerrit Welmers' synth and William Cashion's bass and the band went viral. Video of the performance was a YouTube sensation, resulting in many, many GIFs, and the song ended up at #37 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. Not bad. But even without the arresting performance, the song had a humming hook, thumping beat, and the aching desire of a timeless pop hit. (Geoffrey Himes)

When Future Islands performed 'Seasons (Waiting on You),' the lead single and profile-raiser from their new album "Singles," on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on March 3, lead singer Sam Herring did his chest-thumping gorilla dance and sang sadly "I've been waiting on you" over Gerrit Welmers' synth and William Cashion's bass and the band went viral. Video of the performance was a YouTube sensation, resulting in many, many GIFs, and the song ended up at #37 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. Not bad. But even without the arresting performance, the song had a humming hook, thumping beat, and the aching desire of a timeless pop hit. (Geoffrey Himes)

Whether in the original version that celebrated "scramble, coke, and smack" or the sports-themed remix that cheered on the Orioles and Ravens, 'Bird Flu' was the kind of spontaneous, grassroots hit that Baltimore hip-hop has long struggled to produce. It was a citywide phenomenon long before 92Q belatedly got behind it, and its million or so YouTube views are spread across half a dozen different videos. But it's also shockingly dark beyond its playful hook, with boasts like "The dope's so good, I let the junkie hit it once, he damn near had a heart attack." An appropriately Baltimore banger. (Al Shipley)

Whether in the original version that celebrated "scramble, coke, and smack" or the sports-themed remix that cheered on the Orioles and Ravens, 'Bird Flu' was the kind of spontaneous, grassroots hit that Baltimore hip-hop has long struggled to produce. It was a citywide phenomenon long before 92Q belatedly got behind it, and its million or so YouTube views are spread across half a dozen different videos. But it's also shockingly dark beyond its playful hook, with boasts like "The dope's so good, I let the junkie hit it once, he damn near had a heart attack." An appropriately Baltimore banger. (Al Shipley)